Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual
The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual is an in-depth description of the technology and equipment used aboard the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)]] in Star Trek: The Next Generation. :An interactive version of the Technical Manual has also been published. Summary As said by the authors, "this is the first technical manual done by the folks who actually work on Star Trek". Written by Michael Okuda and Rick Sternbach, the Technical Manual strives to be the official "bible" on all technology matters concerning the Enterprise-D and its attached equipment, from replicators to tricorders. Also contains behind-the-scenes trivia in a series of footnotes placed throughout the text. Introduction *Introduction by Gene Roddenberry *Authors' introduction *Chapter 1: USS Enterprise Introduction *Chapter 2: Spacecraft Structure *Chapter 3: Command Systems *Chapter 4: Computer Systems *Chapter 5: Warp Propulsion Systems *Chapter 6: Impulse Propulsion Systems *Chapter 7: Utilities and Auxiliary Systems *Chapter 8: Communications *Chapter 9: Transporter Systems *Chapter 10: Science and Remote Sensing Systems *Chapter 11: Tactical Systems *Chapter 12: Environmental Systems *Chapter 13: Crew Support Systems *Chapter 14: Auxiliary Spacecraft Systems *Chapter 15: USS Enterprise Flight Operations *Chapter 16: Emergency Operations *Chapter 17: Conclusion *Afterword by Rick Berman Notable items *The aft elevation view of the Enterprise on p. 7 is reversed; Shuttlebay 2 should have the smaller bay door on the port side. *In the starboard cutout view on p. 11, various easter eggs are placed in the diagram, including silhouettes of a propeller plane, a cat, a duck, a Porsche, Nomad, a mouse, and a sign that says, "Slippery When Wet". *On pp. 44-45, it is stated that guidance and navigation research is conducted by a cetacean crew of twelve bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gilli), overseen by two Takaya's Whales (Orcinus orca takayai). The "Takaya's Whale" is not a real whale, but a homage to a fictional character named Noriko Takaya by the author and technical consultant Rick Sternbach. Sternbach is a professed fan of the Japanese animated series Aim For the Top! Gunbuster. In this series, "espers and electronic-brained bottlenose dolphins" navigate the Excelion, the main spaceship of the heroine Noriko Takaya. (Sternbach references the Excelion in the manual again in the compound "excelion-infused carbonitrium." It is conjectured that it is also a homage to Hashi Takaya, a voice actor in the anime series Dirty Pair.) We know that several species of dolphins show signs of sentient intelligence. In a STARTREKUK.COM interview, author and technical consultant Rick Sternbach explains the cetecean connection: ::"The ''TNG Tech Manual definitely talks about a combined Orcinus orca takaya and Tursiops truncatus population on the ship to work out navigation problems (and more likely alien language challenges!).'' ::"We never got to show them in an episode, since the expense would have been prohibitive, but we did convince the writers to have Geordi ask a visiting official if they ever saw the dolphins. During 'Yesterday’s Enterprise,' an intercom call was heard asking Dr. Joshua Kim to report to Cetacean Ops. ::"The dolphins and whales were my idea from the start; I’m convinced that, even if they’re not intelligent enough to pilot a starship, they can still teach us a few things about other life forms." *On p. 123, it is mentioned that Starfleet's Tokyo R&D facility named the superconducting crystals used in phasers "fushigi no umi". This is probably homage to the 1990 Japanese animation series Fushigi no Umi no Nadia, known in North America as "Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water". *Many of the diagrams of okudagrams and other control panels on the ship are directly taken from the show, and as such also contain the various in-jokes that normally cannot be seen on television. For example, the sickbay main diagnostic display seen on p. 150 mentions "MEDICAL INS COVERAGE AVAIL". *One of the concept designs proposed for the ''Nova''-class in 17.2 "Future Directions: The Road to the 1701-E" is similar to the design of the Nova-class [[USS Equinox|USS Equinox]] seen in VOY: "Equinox". Background The published Technical Manual was partly based on an internal document, the Star Trek: The Next Generation Writers' Technical Manual The information in this manual was authored by the technical staff of the television series, and as such most of it is directly derived from filmed references, and most of the speculation within is considered canon because it was devised by TNG's own creative staff of graphic artists, illustrators and craftsmen. However, some data is contradictory, as the nature of a continuing series is that new plot points may contradict previously assumed or unfilmed data.. That being said, this manual was a valuable source of behind the scenes information. Many pieces of art and behind the scenes graphics information used in the filmings are presented clearly here. Many discrepancies exist with the starship information presented within, compared both to other technical supplements, and filmed canonical data. However, there are still many valid and acceptable facts presented in the starships section. Page 169 of the manual describes an "External Support Mode" as a state of reduced systems operation aboard a starship, usually brought into effect when a starship is docked at a space station or other facility and at least partially dependent on the external support of that facility for mains power and/or environmental systems. However, this term nor its description has never been stated on-screen. Similar Books *''Spaceflight Chronology'' *''Star Fleet Technical Manual'' *''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual'' *''Star Trek: Star Charts'' Category:Reference books de:Die Technik der USS Enterprise nl:Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual